The Mission of Small Groups
I’ll never forget the day a couple sat in my office and cried.
They had already walked a meaningful path with our church—baptized, discipled, supported through marriage counseling. On this day, however, they were grieving. A third miscarriage had left them shaken and crushed. Anxiety and depression loomed. Faith, once so central, now felt out of reach.
As I listened and attempted to provide empathetic support, I was struck by a repeating theme in their words. The word they used more than others to describe their emotional state was “alone. This was not a surprise because both sides of their family were marked by high levels of dysfunction (abuse, violence, addiction, etc.). This equated with a low level of social support. Now, as they wrestled with despair, loss, and grief, they struggled to get through the day.
As I sat and listened, I handed the wife a box of tissues. And I realized something that day—not just about them, but about so many in our church and beyond. Without a circle of support, people won’t make it. Not spiritually. Not emotionally. Not long term. By saying, “they won’t make it,” I refer to the health and vitality of their faith in God and spiritual development. The level of care this couple needed in that season of their life was high. And though I did my best as their pastor, it was more than I could provide. What they needed more than anything else was a group. Not necessarily a group in a formal sense but a group to support, guide, and cultivate their journey of faith in a difficult season.
This is where the mission of small groups comes alive.
The Church’s True Mission
Let me start with something clear and direct:
Everything the church does should be focused on its mission—“To seek and to save the lost, and to make disciples of all men.”
The purpose of small groups isn’t simply to provide coffee, conversation, or even connection. Those are wonderful byproducts—but not the mission. Though we do, and should, deploy groups focused on building relationships and cultivating community and providing social support, the larger objective of groups should be to make disciples of every individual who walks through the doors of our churches.
At their best, small groups are a strategic vehicle to move people forward on their discipleship journey. They are meant to connect the unchurched and spiritually curious to a process of spiritual growth, biblical learning, and disciple-making maturity.
We do need groups for community, support, and belonging. But those elements must serve a higher aim: helping individuals become fully formed disciples of Jesus Christ.
When teaching on the role and function of small groups, I often use the image of a racecar as a visual metaphor to explain the discipleship journey of a believer.
Picture a high-powered racecar moving down a track from left to right. This is not just about speed—it's about intentional direction and steady momentum. This image serves as a framework for understanding the spiritual journey that every believer must take.
On the far left side of the racecar are unchurched guests and new believers—those in whom the seed of faith has only recently been planted. These individuals are in the early, fragile stages of their spiritual life.
On the far right side are fully formed disciples—spiritually mature believers who are deeply rooted in Christ, growing in spiritual disciplines, and actively making disciples of others.
Now, here’s the key point: The mission of the church is to help people move from the left side to the right side. It’s a discipleship track—a straight, intentional line toward spiritual formation and maturity.
But here’s where small groups come into play. If the line represents the journey, small groups are the vehicle that helps move progressively from one side of the line to the next. They provide the power and structure that fuels the transformation process and keeps people moving—especially during moments when life slows us down, sidetracks us, or causes spiritual stalling.
Every believer needs key components to move forward in their spiritual journey. And when you break down the elements in the racecar image, you’ll notice that the entire movement is powered by five essential elements—each of which is nurtured and activated through small group ministry:
A circle of support – Relationships that offer consistent care and encouragement.
Biblical learning – Exposure to the truth and wisdom of Scripture in an accessible format.
Application-based discussion – The opportunity to talk through how biblical truth intersects with daily life.
A growing devotional life – Encouragement to personally engage with God in prayer, study, and reflection.
Spiritual mentorship – Intentional guidance from a more mature believer who walks with them through growth and hardship.
Think of each of these as essential parts of the engine—without one, the car begins to sputter, slow down, or veer off course. With all five working in unison, however, the engine runs smoothly, and people are propelled toward spiritual maturity. In this way, when small groups are working well, they help to provide the essential life-giving elements that every believer needs to grow and flourish in their faith. Supportive groups also help new believers mature in their faith faster and in a more sustainable manner than if they attempted to grow in isolation. Ultimately, apostolic ministry in the context of small groups can serve as a vehicle that can lead people to greater levels of faith formation and real-world discipleship.
This analogy helps frame small groups not as one of many optional programs in the church—but as a critical component of the church’s mission to make disciples.
It’s not enough to get people into the church building. The church’s responsibility is to help them move. To help them grow. To help them mature into disciple-makers. That’s what the racecar represents. That’s what small groups are designed to do.
A Pastoral Wake-Up Call
Reflecting on that young couple in my office, I realized they were not unique. Over time, I began noticing a pattern among struggling believers:
Self-imposed isolation
Emotional withdrawal
Lack of spiritual friendships
Most of them faithfully attended Sunday services. But they remained disconnected. And so, their spiritual growth was stunted.
Contrast that with believers who plugged into groups:
They matured faster.
They bounced back from hardship more resiliently.
They grew in emotional health and spiritual consistency.
Even the laws of nature agree: closed systems lose energy over time. If new believers are not supported from the outside, they will inevitably drift. Social science echoes this. Individuals without healthy relational support show greater:
Self-doubt
Energy loss
Health problems
Psychological struggles
Research even reveals that chronic isolation can physically damage our bodies—accelerating aging, suppressing the immune system, and heightening stress. But those in meaningful, peer-based communities we observe the opposite:
Improved mental health
Greater emotional resilience
Deeper personal growth
In short, people thrive in relational circles. Multiple studies affirm what experience tells us:
Churches with active small group systems show higher levels of discipleship and spiritual maturity.
Group participants demonstrate more consistent practice of spiritual disciplines.
Groups accelerate integration of new believers into the church.
Groups develop future leaders by providing real ministry experiences.
Groups lighten the load of pastoral care by spreading support across the body.
But maybe most importantly, groups meet a deep human need for connection and belonging.
From Rows to Circles
Let me leave you with one of my favorite sayings:
“Practical, real-world discipleship happens best in circles, not rows.”
Think about it. Sunday church happens in rows—we sit, we listen, we observe. But transformation happens in circles—where we talk, wrestle, support, and grow.
If you want your church to be filled with mature believers who make other disciples, they’ll need more than Sunday sermons. They’ll need circles of trust, relationships of support, and spaces in which sustaining spiritual relationships are cultivated.
Reflection Questions
In what ways are your small groups currently helping people move from unchurched to fully formed disciples?
Which of the five essential elements (support, biblical learning, discussion, devotion, mentorship) are strongest in your current groups? Which are lacking?
Can your small group system support someone facing grief, isolation, or trauma? If not, what would it take to change that?
Are you relying too much on Sunday services (rows) to create discipleship outcomes that require relational investment (circles)?
What steps can you take this month to reframe your church’s small group ministry around the mission of making disciples?
